Old McDonald had a farm - E-I-E-I-O........... Part one, now 2 added

[valleyboy]

And on that farm there was a scrap - E-I-E-I-O......

My first ever ACW game on the blog https://valleyboyinnz.wordpress.com/

The introduction is as follows

I've been waiting to play an ACW game for quite some time. It's been such a long time in the offing despite having painted both armies in 15mm a few years ago. Whilst I've been painting over the past few months I've been listening to an audio-book trilogy on the ACW by Shelby Foote but the final impetus came when I bought Dave Brown's "Pickett's Charge" rules a few months ago.

http://generaldebrigade.fr.yuku.com/forums/17/Picketts-Charge#.WJAY_vl95aQ

These are available from the Too Fat Lardies website https://toofatlardies.co.uk/product-category/reisswitz-press/

I'm an huge fan of Dave's rules, he's produced quite a few over the years and though I've had an early version of Guns at Gettysburg for years I'd never got around to playing them. (As an aside I'm looking forward to seeing Dave's Napoleonic Version "General D' Armee" which is aimed at large Napoleonic battles and will be out sometime in 2017). So with a few days off I decided to play a solo game in order to get acquainted with the rules.

For the Union side I took the historical OOB of Army of the Potomac at Gettysburg, chose Reynolds's 1st Corps  of 3 divisions and added Gamble's Brigade from Buford's 1st Cavalry Corps though have made no adjustment for actual numbers just choosing to field units of a standard size either 24 or 20 figures strong.

For the Army of Northern Virginia I did the same, choosing to start with Hood's division of Longstreet's Corps, consisting of the Texas Brigade, Law's Brigade and Anderson's brigades deployed on the table with plans that Benning's Brigade should follow. Depending how the game goes there is the option to add some of Pickett's Division later on. Again units have been fielded with no reference to their actual historical strengths but just as standard units as defined under the rules

Initial table set up:


Here are a few sample photos




I hope to play part two gradually over the next few days as I learn more of the rules!

[shandy]

Very nice table! 

[Axebreaker]

Excellent looking table!

Christopher

[zippyfusenet]

Great looking game. Can I come over and play Saturday?

Here's a tune for Buford's troopers:

[B6BosGO]

 Great write up and incredibly beautiful table.

[jambo1]

Great looking game and such a lovely table.

[valleyboy]

Thanks Gents, I've added part 2


https://valleyboyinnz.wordpress.com/




It was a really enjoyable game - a bumbling Union attack with units fed in piecemeal vs a stretched Confederate position well supported by artillery
I love these rules!

[Sterling Moose]

Looks excellent.  Nice looking gaming room in the background too   

[Unlucky General]

Valleyboy,

Lovely looking table. How important to you is the table-top you play on? I think it really makes the game.

[valleyboy]

Valleyboy,

Lovely looking table. How important to you is the table-top you play on? I think it really makes the game.

Thanks guys
UG - in the past I'd always put a lot of effort into painting troops but used to play on TSS tiles that were all green and it struck me when I took pictures of them how odd and shiny it looked if thee was an expanse with little terrain
2 years ago we built a new house and essentially built the 4th bedroom as a wargames room. I then decided that I'd reconfigure the TSS boards covering them in sand and pva and flocked them to match the way I'd started basing my figures in order to give a match. Did this for all terrain bases as well to coordinate everything. I think having lighter patches on the expanse of green makes things look better overall
The only drawback is that bases don't glide across it easily!
So yes important but I suppose only after I'd painted lots of figures and then the effort was made to blend it all together

[FifteensAway]

I call it the Unified Field Theory (UFT), having bases match to terrain to improve the visual appeal.  Miniatures?  Visual Appeal?  Ain't that the point?

If so, you have your point honed very sharp, indeed.  And in my personal favorite scale.  Nicely done.  Are you associated with the Kapiti Fusiliers by chance?  One of this planets more notable gaming groups, I'd say.  And, no, I've nothing to do with them - never been near the land of Kiwis, alas.

[valleyboy]

I call it the Unified Field Theory (UFT), having bases match to terrain to improve the visual appeal.  Miniatures?  Visual Appeal?  Ain't that the point?

If so, you have your point honed very sharp, indeed.  And in my personal favorite scale.  Nicely done.  Are you associated with the Kapiti Fusiliers by chance?  One of this planets more notable gaming groups, I'd say.  And, no, I've nothing to do with them - never been near the land of Kiwis, alas.

Thank you
Unfortunately no as I'd love to be in such good company but  as I'm nearer the top of the North Island they are only about 6 hrs drive away! I do though count Peter Hazeldos - "Von Peter himself" as one of my mates!